Release Date:

May 15, 1943

Main Character(s):

None

Summary:

A newsreel showing the stupidity and ineptness of the Japanese enemy in World War ll.

That’s Not All, Folks:

This is easily the most racially insensitive Warner cartoon outside of the Censored Eleven, although with those cartoons, they didn’t intend to offend African Americans. Here, however, the racial stereotypes are intended to offend considering what terrible people the Japanese were during the war and this cartoon was likely the studio’s way of getting back at them for bombing Pearl Harbor (like how some may get satisfaction of the Nazis getting killed in the Indiana Jones films considering what all they did during the war).

This is McCabe’s last cartoon due to being drafted. As such, he is credited as “Cpl. Norman McCabe” (he was always credited as “Norm” due to Leon Schlesinger’s disapproval of directors being credited by their nicknames).

This was also McCabe’s last involvement with the Warner cartoons until he became an animator at DePatie-Freleng and animated on most of the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies they produced for Warner in the mid-1960s.

This is one of Jerry Beck’s least favorite Warner Bros. cartoons. His main criticism of the cartoon is “The whole joke of the film seems to rest on how offensive each gag can be- and none of them are funny”.

This is one of the rare cartoons where the credits are shown before the title card.

Porky and Daffy are featured in the intro despite not appearing (and I can certainly imagine people watching this saying they would rather see a cartoon with them instead of this).

What I Like About This One:

There are actually some gags here that feel inspired and could work if they weren’t so racially insensitive:

Japan’s “Finest Air Raid Siren” has Japanese soldiers screaming into a megaphone with them taking turns poking each other in the behind with a needle.

The “Aircraft Spotter” paints spots on airplanes.

The “Fire Prevention Headquarters” is burned down.

Professor Tojo makes a “ration card sandwich” made entirely out of ration cards before clubbing himself on the head and doing the “running finger across his lips” bit.

The Japanese Victory Suit is the latest Japan style of the week- where it’s described as having “no cuffs, no pleats, no lapels- no suit!” where the camera pans down to a soldier in the snow who is naked except for a diaper and is trying to keep warm over a candle.

When announcing about Japan’s “sports”, the announcer loses his dentures when an iris-out closes in on him.

The “King of Swat” fails to hit a housefly as he gets hit by the fly instead, with the fly also taking his “Champ” trophy away.

Admiral Yamamoto has a special room reserved for him- an electric chair.

A skunk is so revolted by a Japanese soldier next to him that he puts on a gas mask.

“Lord Hee Haw- Chief Wind Bag” is a literal donkey.

Japan’s submarine has been launched three weeks ahead of schedule- where soldiers are still constructing it when the submarine is traveling underwater.

Submarine workers appear to be working on controls- but said controls are actually arcade-like games.

A “mine sweeper” is a ship that sweeps away sea mines with a broom. When one of them blows the whole thing up, a buoy emerges with a sign, “Regrettable incident, please!”

Where Can I Watch It?

On YouTube!

Carrot Rating:

🥕🥕